Benzoyl Peroxide - can it permanently burn skin?

In July 2001 I was suffering from cystic like pimples under my nose which weren't responding to any treatment. Eventually I became frustrated and applied two BP products to the infected areas (right under each nostril, the 2 BP products being Maximum Strength OXY Pads and Maximum Strength Persa-Gel 10% Benzoyl Peroxide) and hoped that would cure the problem. Needless to say, it burned like heck but in my ignorance I assumed "no pain no gain!"

I kept this up for 3 or 4 days...the area which I applied the BP to started peeling and became really dry but I thought nothing else of it. A few days after the peeling subsided the area became very red and irritated. That area is STILL red, a full year later! The last derm I went to said it was dermatitis...however I can't accept that it's just a coincidence. So, that brings me to my question. Is it possible to permanently burn the skin with a large amount of benozyl peroxide? Thanks for the help in advance!

I have a bad ,dark red ,dry almost purple chemical burn on my face, if I keep applying Vitamin E on it everyday will it eventually lighten up or am I doomed! <IMG SRC="http://www.healthboards.com/ubb/frown.gif"> Anybody ever have a bad chemical burn on their face heal completely?

i agree with grape.... if it feels bad / stings/ burns for more than 20 min after you put it on... wash it off !!! i was always terrified of doing more damage to my skin... so, i would always worry about feeling the sting..... i haven't used a product in a long time that i've felt burned or stinging that i had to wash it off... however, i recently started using 10% glycolic acid.. and for the first 10 min i have it on... it stings a bit... but, it goes away ... however, i would've washed it off had it felt that way longer.....

be kind to your skin..... i know it's hard not putting on a zillion things to try and get rid of it... but, i've learned... less is better... try and find one product that works fairly well... and be consistent with it..... and most importantly... don't pick at what you have.... makes it 10 times worse!<p>[This message has been edited by livenlearn (edited 09-06-2002).]

New York - With the number of laser abrasions being performed today, it is no wonder that postprocedure wound healing is a hot topic.

"Everybody is thinking about it, and everyone has their own protocol," said Karen E. Burke, M.D., Ph.D., dermatologist and attending physician, Cabrini Medical Center, New York.

While lasers are delivering miraculous results on the face, the downside remains a difficult initial healing period, with redness, pain, and sometimes swelling, as well as the risk of infection.

Dr. Burke's approach to wound healing is based on her more than 15 years of research on selenium and vitamin E. Most recently she extended her studies to investigate how selenium delivered topically as L-selenomethionine, coupled with vitamin E, can help the skin recover from laser abrasion procedures. "They're both good antioxidants and both are known to be anti-inflammatory," she said. "It stood to reason that they would help in wound healing too."

Selenium, a trace mineral that quenches free radicals, has earned acclaim for its cancer-preventive qualities among populations that naturally derive the nutrient through soil and water. People in the Southeast are often deficient, while those in the Great Plains regions consume higher levels.

Vitamin E has 32 distinct molecular forms or isomers; these isomers are classified as D-, L-, or DL- and alpha, beta, gamma, or delta. When it comes to application on the skin, the form that is "by the far the most effective is D-alpha-tocopherol," Dr. Burke said. What she found in her latest study convinced her of the combined healing properties of selenomethionine and vitamin E.

Enhanced healing, less inflammation

Using Yorkshire pigs, Dr. Burke performed both high-wattage and low-wattage laser abrasions. Immediately following the procedures, some of the pigs were treated with a moisturizing cream and some were treated with L-selenomethionine 0.05 percent and vitamin E in the form of 5 percent D-alpha tocopherol. Others were left untreated. Absorption status was verified by measuring skin, blood, and liver levels.

The pigs that received topical applications of either selenomethionine or vitamin E experienced "markedly enhanced wound healing and markedly less inflammation," Dr. Burke said, whereas the other control groups improved only slightly.

In addition, Dr. Burke found that the animals that received L-selenomethionine developed half as many skin cancers induced by ultraviolet irradiation as those that received no treatment. And these cancers developed later in the animals' lives - about five or 10 human equivalent years later. In human subjects, she found that the higher the concentration of topical L-selenomethionine applied, the greater the protection.

"The most important thing is that selenium must be applied topically in the form of selenomethionine, or it's not absorbed," Dr. Burke said. "Unlike selenium sulfide - utilized in shampoos developed to treat seborrhea and dandruff, which results in no percutaneous absorption of selenium - L-selenomethionine is absorbed by the skin. And secondly, form matters. You can't apply vitamin E from a capsule since the capsule contains tocopheryl acetate, the ester form; the ester is not active on the skin because, unlike the stomach, the skin does not have the enzymes to convert the ester to the active tocopherol form.

"Only the D-alpha tocopherol form is active on the skin, and a minimum concentration of 2 to 5 percent is needed for efficacy. Almost all, if not all, vitamin E products commonly available contain the mixture of 32 isomers, rather than the one active isomer, and contain the ester derivative, which is not active on the skin. Also, the concentration is usually very low - less than 0.1 percent. Topical D-alpha-tocopherol 5 percent is truly different."

Silvadine burn treatment

In other studies, Dr. Burke has also shown that Silvadine, a cream used to treat severe burns, significantly enhances postlaser abrasion wound healing. Application should begin immediately after the procedure, she said, "particularly for the first week when the wound is really open because of its anti-bacterial properties. After the initial healing, I favor 5 percent vitamin E."

Whichever topical treatment is used, Dr. Burke encourages open dressings. "Although closed dressings are easier for the patient, they also create more chance for infection," she said. "Two things can cause scarring after laser abrasion: an uneven abrasion or too much overlap, and infection."

Despite improvements in laser techniques, the need for effective wound-healing products is not likely to diminish. "No matter what technique is used, to get more of an effect, you have to do more abrasion, which means more of a healing period," said Dr. Burke. "As I've shown in pig models, these products really do help.

"Any person that undergoes laser abrasion should take steps to enhance wound healing," she added. "I think every surgeon should at least try topical L-selenomethionine, vitamin E, and Silvadine and see if they don't agree. In my studies, all of them enhance wound healing significantly. In the clinic, I find them to be excellent." DT

Wow !Thanks for posting that article.So all the time I was putting Vitamin E from a capsule on my face it wasn't doing a thing? So, what stuff has Vit.E that the skin can absorb? Time for more research.Wonder where I can get this selenomethionine.

wow im so happy that you posted that. I once tried this acne remedy that was posted on some site on the web which involved ben perioxide and moisturizer. I had used ben perioxide before, but for some reason, possibly having to do with the brand I used ( I used PRo activ ben per lotion) My skin puffed out , stang and became red on either side of my nose and to this day it is still red, and I look completely ridiculous if I am not extremely careful when I apply blush now. I have still been using ben per(a different brand though) on these areas as I thought that was just a temporary allergic reaction but now I see that it may be something else. Its funny too because my sister has similar red areas and she also used the PRo Activ benzoyl perioxide lotion.

the area below the nose is quite thin and prone to redness anyhow. I have a similar problem but plan on having laser treatment in the future which will get rid of the redness. At the point yr at i don't think it will go away on its own im afraid.

Be very very careful using Benzoyl peroxide.I don't have scars from it but LOTS of broken cappillaries on areas where I had a few problem zits.There is nothing worse then broken cappilaries and I'm scared laser surgery will give me scars and not fix the problem.

Thanks for all the help. I didn't expect this topic to get more than maybe 2 replies.

BTW, for those considering laser treatment for BP burns......don't. I went to a plastic surgeon the other day and he told me that the problem lies deep within the skin, in the blood vessels and that a laser would just blast off the top layers, revealing the even redder area underneath.

He actually even went on to say that he seriously doubts my face was permanently burned by benzoyl peroxide and that the reason the area has stayed red for so long was due to the fact that a) I'm still breaking out there occasionally and b) I still used benzoyl peroxide (in much smaller doses of course) to treat it. But I still have my doubts. <IMG SRC="http://www.healthboards.com/ubb/frown.gif">

well, now I dont know if I should completely stop using Ben Per or what. I havent had a reaction to it like I had to the Pro Activ stuff, but maybe I should stop. Unfortunately, I have no health insurance so Ic ant ask a dermatologist's opinion on this one. I agree with your skepticism Scooterman...........because I can totally see the difference in my skin since I had that bad BP experience with Pro Activ and I DONT think its just because I still break out there..........I broke out there before and it didnt look like that! It was always alittle pinker than the rest of my face but now its puffier too........its hard to explain but I can tell,.........